Medication and managing your kidney health

Understanding your lab values can help you better manage CKD."

 

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If you’ve recently been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, or CKD, you’ve probably spent a lot of time getting tests done at the lab.

Lab values are used to determine a patient’s overall health and well-being. And understanding your lab values can help you better manage CKD. So, let’s talk about the top four lab values you should know.

First, your estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Your estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR for short, is important to understand because it shows how well your kidneys are filtering your blood.

An eGFR below 30 means you should see a nephrologist if you haven’t done so already, and an eGFR below 15 means it’s time to start planning for treatment like dialysis, or a kidney transplant.

Second, creatinine.

The natural kidney product, creatinine, comes from normal wear and tear in your muscle. It appears in both your blood and urine.

As your kidney function gets worse, your blood creatinine levels will rise. You need to monitor your levels regularly because doing so will let you know if your condition is getting better or worse.

Third, blood urea nitrogen.

A blood urea nitrogen or “BUN” test is done to see how well your kidneys are working. A normal BUN level is between 7 and 20. Many people with kidney disease have levels above 20.

But your kidneys aren’t the only thing that contributes to your BUN level. Heart failure, dehydration, or a diet high in protein can contribute too.

And finally, number four, potassium.

Potassium is a mineral that helps your heart and muscles function. If your levels are too high, it can affect your muscle contractions—including your heartbeat.

If you have CKD, the amount of potassium you can have each day will change depending on what stage of kidney disease you’re in. Talk with your doctor about how much potassium you need.

Carefully managing these four values can help keep your kidney disease under control. If you have questions about these or other values on your lab tests, just ask your health care team.